Reflexive Responses to Social Challenges among Rural Breast Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka

The most common cancer among women worldwide is breast cancer. In recent years, the number of women in Sri Lanka who have had a breast cancer diagnosis has increased steadily and significantly. The social challenges experienced by breast cancer patients worldwide have been extensively researched by academics, but Sri Lankan rural women have gained very less attention. Thus, this study focused on identifying the reflexive responses of Sri Lankan rural women living with breast cancer to social challenges under three themes: family and community support, accessing medical support and information, and coping with the financial burden. This study takes a qualitative approach, with data obtained through semi-structured interviews and with twenty-four rural women living with breast cancer who were self-selected. Themes were derived using a first-level analytical coding approach, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. As major findings, most women have good support from their family and community. Educational level and employability have affected the degree of social support, and women who have high social interaction receive greater social support. Accessing medical support and information was the biggest challenge due to long-distance travel and the lack of proper access to information before diagnosis. Lack of health information harms these women. Some women do not know the symptoms, available treatments and where to go for treatments. Although most of them have a severe financial burden, as a positive point of being rural, these women have good supportive people around them. Women who have greater interaction with society have greater financial support than others. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31357/fhss/vjhss.v08i01.0

TRADITIONAL SRI LANKAN MEDICINE INTERVENTION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS (JANU SANDIGATAVATA): CASE SERIES

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a degenerative disease, which significantly restricts the functions of the joint.  Janu Sandigatavata (JS) is considered to be the close equivalent in traditional medicine to OA in modern medicine. The aim of this case series was to report the effectiveness of Traditional Sri Lankan Medicine (TSM) on JS patients attend to National Ayurveda Teaching Hospital. Method: Reported cases (n=10) were at the age range of 45years to70 years and both female (n=8) and male (n=2) patients were diagnosed as having JS of the knee joints. Radiology (X-ray) reported by a radiologist confirmed that they were in Kellgren-Lawrence grade III or less. TSM treatments were given as regimens up to 86days. At the end point, external treatment of oleation and herbal immune enhancing drugs were further continued over 8 weeks. Visual analogue scale for pain, knee scores in Knee Society clinical Rating System (KSS) and Ayurveda clinical assessment criteria were used to evaluate the effects of treatment. Results: Reductions of visual analogue scale for pain was observed between baseline and the 86 days endpoint. Clinical assessment criteria and the KSS scores of pain, movement and stability were also improved up to good level and function score were improved up to excellent level. During the follow-up period, joint symptoms and signs and the knee scores were remaining unchanged. Conclusions: Study explored that substantial decrease in clinical parameters of OA in knee and improved patients’ quality of life by the intervention of the TSM

A Preliminary survey of domiciliary cockroaches and their oothecal parasites in Sri Lanka

A survey of domiciliary cockroaches and their oothecal parasites was carriedout in 17 districts. The study was based on empty and live cockroach oothecaecollected from dwelling houses. Five species of cockroaches; Periplanetaamericana (L.) Neostylopyga rhombifolia (Stoll) Periplaneta australasiae (F.)Supella longfpalpa (F.) and Blatella germanica (L.) were found frequentinghouses. Of them, P. american a was the most abundant and widely distributedspecies, while B. germanlca was the least abundant species. P. americana andN. rhombifolia were present in all but one district, while P. australaslae and S.longipalpa were confined to 12 and 08 districts respectively. Mannar districtwas peculiar in that only one domiciliary species, N. rhombifolia was recordedfrom there. Only two species of oothecal parasites, Tetrastlchus hagenowli(Ratz.) and Evania appendlgaster (L.) were encountered during the study. Eachof these parasite species was characterized by the size of the emergence hole theymade in cockroach oothecae. Thus on the basis of the emergence hole alone itwas possible to categorize the empty oothecae as being parasitized. Of theoothecae, those of P. americana and P. australiasae were parasitized by bothspecies of parasites, while oothecae of N. rhombifolla was parasitized by T.hagenowii only. Oothecae of S. longipalpa and B. germanica were not parasitiizedat all. There appears to be a great paucity in the oothecal parasite fauna ofSri Lanka, compared to India where eight species of hymenopterans are known toparasitize oothecae of domiciliary cockroaches. The possibility of controllinghousehold cockroaches using local and introduced parasites remains to be explored.The shortcomings in this preliminary survey are also reported

Design of MRI Structured Spiking Neural Networks and Learning Algorithms for Personalized Modelling, Analysis, and Prediction of EEG Signals

Abstract This paper proposes a novel method and algorithms for the design of MRI structured personalized 3D spiking neural network models (MRI-SNN) for a better analysis, modeling, and prediction of EEG signals. It proposes a novel gradient-descent learning algorithm integrated with a spike-time-dependent-plasticity algorithm. The models capture informative personal patterns of interaction between EEG channels, contrary to single EEG signal modeling methods or to spike-based approaches which do not use personal MRI data to pre-structure a model. The proposed models can not only learn and model accurately measured EEG data, but they can also predict signals at 3D model locations that correspond to non-monitored brain areas, e.g. other EEG channels, from where data has not been collected. This is the first study in this respect. As an illustration of the method, personalized MRI-SNN models are created and tested on EEG data from two subjects. The models result in better prediction accuracy and a better understanding of the personalized EEG signals than traditional methods due to the MRI and EEG information integration. The models are interpretable and facilitate a better understanding of related brain processes. This approach can be applied for personalized modeling, analysis, and prediction of EEG signals across brain studies such as the study and prediction of epilepsy, peri-perceptual brain activities, brain-computer interfaces, and others

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 gene expression positivity determined by silver in situ hybridization/immunohistochemistry methods and associated factors in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with gastric adenocarcinoma : a prospective study

Objective: Positive human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) expression and its predictive clinicopathological features remain unclear in Sri Lankan gastric cancer (GC) patients. Here, we aimed to determine GC HER2 status predictors by analyzing associations between clinicopathological features and HER2 expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and silver in situ hybridization (SISH). Methods: During this 4-year prospective study, clinicopathological data were collected from participants in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. HER2 IHC and SISH were performed using commercial reagents. Using chi-square tests, associations of HER2-IHC/SISH with clinicopathological features were analyzed. Results: Overall, 145 GC patients were included, 69 had gastrectomies and 76 had biopsies. Positive HER2 expression by IHC was associated with age 5/high-power field, with additional perineural invasion and lymphovascular invasion in resections. These features, excluding lymphovascular invasion but including male sex, were associated with HER2 expression by SISH. Conclusions: Age <60 years, high nuclear grade, tumor necrosis, and perineural invasion are associated factors of HER2 status. These could be used to triage GC patients for HER2 status testing in limited resource settings where IHC/SISH analysis is costly

Urea-Hydroxyapatite Nanohybrids for Slow Release of Nitrogen

While slow release of chemicals has been widely applied for drug delivery, little work has been done on using this general nanotechnology-based principle for delivering nutrients to crops. In developing countries, the cost of fertilizers can be significant and is often the limiting factor for food supply. Thus, it is important to develop technologies that minimize the cost of fertilizers through efficient and targeted delivery. Urea is a rich source of nitrogen and therefore a commonly used fertilizer. We focus our work on the synthesis of environmentally benign nanoparticles carrying urea as the crop nutrient that can be released in a programmed manner for use as a nanofertilizer. In this study, the high solubility of urea molecules has been reduced by incorporating it into a matrix of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been selected due to their excellent biocompatibility while acting as a rich phosphorus source. In addition, the high surface area offered by nanoparticles allows binding of a large amount of urea molecules. The method reported here is simple and scalable, allowing the synthesis of a urea-modified hydroxyapatite nanohybrid as fertilizer having a ratio of urea to hydroxyapatite of 6:1 by weight. Specifically, a nanohybrid suspension was synthesized by $\textit{in situ}$ coating of hydroxyapatite with urea at the nanoscale. In addition to the stabilization imparted due to the high surface area to volume ratio of the nanoparticles, supplementary stabilization leading to high loading of urea was provided by flash drying the suspension to obtain a solid nanohybrid. This nanohybrid with a nitrogen weight of 40% provides a platform for its slow release. Its potential application in agriculture to maintain yield and reduce the amount of urea used is demonstrated.Authors thank Hayleys Agro Ltd., Sri Lanka for initiating this research programme at SLINTEC and Nagarjuna Fertilizer and Chemical Ltd (NFCL), India for providing further support. Authors acknowledge Mr Sunanda Gunesekara of SLINTEC for assistance with scaling up the production process to enable the field trials. ARK acknowledges the financial support received from ICTPELETTRA Users Program, Trieste, Italy to conduct photoemission experiments at Materials Science beam line (MSB) and ELETTRA SRS on HA and urea coated HA samples. ARK further acknowledges Dr. R.G. Acres of MSB beam line for his extensive support to conduct photoemission experiments. We acknowledge the Department of Agriculture and Rice Research and Development Institute of Sri Lanka, in particular Dr Priyantha Weerasinghe, Mr D Sirisena and Dr Amitha Benthota for the assistance in carrying out pot and farmers filed trials. NFCL and Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Gujarat, India for TEM and BET analysis

Bioactive plasma coatings on orthodontic brackets: In Vitro metal ion release and cytotoxicity

The metal ion release characteristics and biocompatibility of meta-based materials are key factors that influence their use in orthodontics. Although stainless steel-based alloys have gained much interest and use due to their mechanical properties and cost, they are prone to localised attack after prolonged exposure to the hostile oral environment. Metal ions may induce cellular toxicity at high dosages. To circumvent these issues, orthodontic brackets were coated with a functional nanothin layer of plasma polymer and further immobilised with enantiomers of tryptophan. Analysis of the physicochemical properties confirmed the presence of functional coatings on the surface of the brackets. The quantification of metal ion release using mass spectrometry proved that plasma functionalisation could minimise metal ion release from orthodontic brackets. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the brackets has been improved after functionalisation. These findings demonstrate that plasma polymer facilitated surface functionalisation of orthodontic brackets is a promising approach to reducing metal toxicity without impacting their bulk properties.Lasni Samalka Kumarasinghe, Neethu Ninan, Panthihage Ruvini Lakshika Dabare, Alex Cavallaro, Esma J. Dogramacı, Giampiero Rossi-Fedele ... et al

Thermoelectric power factor under strain-induced band-alignment in the half-Heuslers NbCoSn and TiCoSb

Band convergence is an effective strategy to improve the thermoelectric performance of complex bandstructure thermoelectric materials. Half-Heuslers are good candidates for band convergence studies because they have multiple bands near the valence bad edge that can be converged through various band engineering approaches providing power factor improvement opportunities. Theoretical calculations to identify the outcome of band convergence employ various approximations for the carrier scattering relaxation times (the most common being the constant relaxation time approximation) due to the high computational complexity involved in extracting them accurately. Here, we compare the outcome of strain-induced band convergence under two such scattering scenarios: i) the most commonly used constant relaxation time approximation and ii) energy dependent inter- and intra-valley scattering considerations for the half-Heuslers NbCoSn and TiCoSb. We show that the outcome of band convergence on the power factor depends on the carrier scattering assumptions, as well as the temperature. For both materials examined, band convergence improves the power factor. For NbCoSn, however, band convergence becomes more beneficial as temperature increases, under both scattering relaxation time assumptions. In the case of TiCoSb, on the other hand, constant relaxation time considerations also indicate that the relative power factor improvement increases with temperature, but under the energy dependent scattering time considerations, the relative improvement weakens with temperature. This indicates that the scattering details need to be accurately considered in band convergence studies to predict more accurate trends.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1905.0795